


Just my luck

by Margaritaa



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU where they haven't met each other in school, Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, F/M, They are both adorkable, adrien is a dork
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-07 10:09:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12838962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Margaritaa/pseuds/Margaritaa
Summary: Finally free from his father and all the model life. Live his dream as a physic teacher and make some friends. Sound pretty good to Adrien. Just trust his luck to make him fall in love with a beautiful fashion designer. And seriously? She has to be the one that work directly under his father! Yep. Just his luck.No miraculous!AU





	1. Chapter 1

It was another day for his work as a physic teacher in university. He had been teaching there since he graduated from that same university two years ago. It was like a dream comes true, finally be able to do whatever he want to do.

For two years that he wasn’t just Adrien, the perfect model son of Gabriel Agreste, but professor Agreste, the ordinary physic teacher in freshman and sophomore class that he would like to think that it was quite popular class among the students.

It just came with a little thing that called loneliness.

Yep. After all those time that he had lived in the empty mansion. He still felt lonely when he moved out to live in his own apartment.

Adrien sighed, his bright green eyes stared at the ceiling. He had nothing better to do anyway. On Monday he only had to teach the afternoon class.

Laundry…checked. 

Cleaning up the room…checked.

Grading the papers…already double checked.

Watching Netflix…yeah he totally could use some Netflix, but unfortunately he wasn’t really in the mood at all.

After stared at the ceiling for almost seem like an hour, he decided to do something more productive. Adrien got out of a bed and grabbed his coat before leaved his room.

Paris in late October started to have cold wind more often. He put his hands in the pocket and looked around for some hot coffee or chocolate.

And for some reasons, he didn’t feel like going to his regular coffee shop near the university.

None of the shops had caught his eyes until he saw a small coffee shop in the corner of the street. It looked warm and cozy with brown and honey color decoration. 

There were flowers and small plants around the shop that made him felt a little more relax. After a few minutes he already found himself in front of the shop.

The bells jiggled when he opened the door. A cashier girl behind the counter quickly looked up from a book in her hand and smiled at him.

“Honey Bee at your service, sir. What would you like for today?”

“Oh.” Adrien wasn’t creative about his drink. Always black coffee with a spoon of sugar just to kept his eyes opening long enough before next break time. But today he really felt like he wanted to try something different.

“Do you have any recommendation?”

“Today we have fifty percent discount for all caramel menu” She gestured him to look at the menu. There were several interesting caramel menu on it. He never drank any of them before, so he just picked one.

“Hot caramel mocha would be great.”

“Coming right up!”

Adrian only had to wait for a few minutes because there weren’t many customers right now. When he turned around with a cup of coffee in his hand, he suddenly felt like his chest hit something. His coffee splashed out of the cup. And the sight in front of him made he gaped in shock.

“Shit! Sorry. Sorry. Are you okay?”

The woman, maybe around his age, stood in front of him. Her hand was on her nose like she was trying to relieve the pain. She dressed in something that looked suspiciously like designed working dress and much to his horror, that designed dress had coffee stain on it.

“I’m sorry. Like really sorry. If there is anything I can do to help you I would totally do it right now. Oh! Maybe I can help you clean it up in the restroom!” Adrien suddenly felt like it wasn’t the best thing to say in this situation but he wasn’t sure what to say anyway.

“And you will go in the girl restroom with me?”

A teasing tone in her voice made he blushed. Adrien blamed all his socially awkwardness to his father that kept him homeschooling until he entered university.

“You know that I’m only messing with you, right?” She laughed again and looked up from her stained dress.

In that second, Adrien was so sure that he had the most ridiculous face in the world.

Her eyes were blue, not the ocean blue, but they were bright blue like Paris sky in summer. They were round and big like a doll, a china doll to be exact. And her feature reminded him of Asian model that he used to work with, too. And that voice, like a sound of Christmas bell!

He couldn’t help but stared at her, jaw dropped and struggled to find some words to say.

“Hello?” She offered first.

“H…Hello.” Adrien finally found his voice again. It sounded a little higher than normal but still better than before. “Sorry again. About your dress”

“Don’t worry about it.” Miss China doll just smiled at him. “I have a few spare clothes at my work place anyway. This happen all the time.”

Adrien lifted his eyebrows at that. “People poured coffee into you all the time?”

Miss China doll laughed a little. Her voice made him felt like he had a hundred of butterflies in his stomach. Her blue eyes met his green ones before she said “I usually trip myself over thin air and just land on my coffee.”

Even someone with luck like him felt sorry for her.

“Well, today is definitely not your fault, so let me make it up to you.”

“It’s fine, really. No harm done at all. The dress is not even that expensive.”

Adrien took a look at the dress again. It was definitely a designed one. He might not had a talent in fashion design like his father, but years of modelling made him know fashion quite enough to tell the different between clothes from fashion line and ordinary ones.

Miss China doll said first like she could read his mind.

“I made this dress myself. I’m a fashion designer.”

A part of him felt his blood ran cold. She was a fashion designer. Could it mean that she talk to him because she knew who he was? But she looked so calm, so sincere, and she was around his age. Miss China doll couldn’t be in fashion industry more than four years at most.

“I’m a physic teacher.” He blurted out before his brain even had time to think.

“Oh…physic” She sighed. “Not really my strong point.”

“Well, there is a reason that you are a fashion designer right now.” He winked at her. A surge of confidence flood in to Adrien when he heard she laughed again.

“You have a point there.”

Before his doubt came back, Adrien took a deep breath. He spoke so fast that he wasn’t sure that Miss China doll could understand him or not.

“So…I’m Adrien and I think I didn’t quite catch your name?”

It felt like a minute had passed, but finally she smiled so wide that her blue eyes almost closed.

And then she said her name.

“Marinette” Miss China doll…Nope! Marinette said. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng at your service. And for your redemption…maybe a lunch would be great. What do you think?”

Adrien never believed in love at first sight. But in that second, when he saw her bright eyes shine, hands tucked her black-blue hair behind her ears. When he saw this beautiful and confident woman suddenly turned in to a shy and adorable woman.

In that second...Adrien believed he fell in love.


	2. Chapter 2

**M : You sent me that cat meme AGAIN!?**

**A : You know you like it. ;)**

**M : It’s awful.**

**A : Don’t you mean pawful?**

**M : Adrien Agreste. DON’T you dare send me another cat paws!**

“You know that you aren’t alone in this room, right?” A grumpy sound from a desk behind him couldn’t stop his chuckling. His eyes stared at the screen of his phone, waiting for her reply from his cat paws picture.

“Shh. Plagg! Don’t interrupt him. Look at his love struck face. It’s so adorable.”

“I don’t have a love struck face.” Adrien grumbled under his breath but his coworker smiled at him with knowing look.

“I see people fall in love all the time, Adrien. I can tell when I see one.”

Adrien really liked Tikki. She helped him adjusted his teaching life when he first started teaching here, a lot more helpful than Plagg, his trainer that assigned by associate dean of the faculty. But sometimes she was just too much.

“Okay. Romeo, could you stop giggling like an idiot for a minute? Some of us could use a quiet morning, thank you very much.”

“Oh hush! Some of us could use more love in the air.”

“I want to puke right now.”

Adrien rolled his eyes at that comment. For thirty-year-old teacher, Plagg acted like a grumpy grandpa who couldn’t admit that he love his wife even though they happily married for all their life.

Okay…maybe he was a little overreacted, but seriously, everyone in this university knew they love each other. Plagg just couldn’t say it out loud to save his life.

“Ignore him.” Tikki said in teasing voice. She turned her head to him and Adrien suddenly felt like he really didn’t like her attention right now. “Back to the love of your life, who are you texting with?”

“Err…a friend?”

A disapprove face from Tikki told him that she didn’t like the answer at all. Well…at least he tried.

“We haven’t discussed it yet…you know? our relationship.”

“Oh” Tikki said softly. “But you like her and she likes you”

“I love her.” That’s the fact that Adrien could say out loud. He sighed dreamingly. Marinette’s smile suddenly appeared in his head and it made his chest warm. “And I would like to think that she quite like me. We went on a date for five times so far and they are all wonderful”

“Ohh, Adrien.” Tikki hugged him. Sometimes she gave the feeling of a mother that he didn’t have for a very long time. “I’m so glad that you find someone in your life.”

Adrien smiled at that. “I’m glad, too.”

His loneliness slowly disappeared when Marinette came to his life. She always replied his messages no matter how busy she was. He would send her cat meme and pun. She would reply with playful scolded.

Their dates weren’t like any dates he had before. At their first date, he was so worried that he would mess it all up. He took her to the high class restaurant near his apartment. His teaching career might not make large amount of money, but he was decent enough to pay for special occasion.

But after she saw how nervous he looked, she just pulled him out of the restaurant. They ran out in the street, ended up at the pizza place and played bowling after that.

Not a very ideal first date, but it was so perfect that he wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

“Do we know her?” Tikki’s question pulled Adrien out of his thought. She asked again when he didn’t answer. “Does she work here?”

“No, she is a fashion designer.”

“Ohhh.” Plagg and Tikki said at the same time in different tone.

Tikki’s voice was full of excitement. She was teaching in fashion design class after all. But for Plagg, it sounded more sarcastic.

“Runaway from modeling life to be a teacher then fall in love with a fashion designer.” Plagg said in indifferent tone. “So much drama.”

“Does she know who you are?” Tikki looked concerned. It made Adrien felt a little better to have someone who understood his situation.

“I’m not sure. I quite certain she knew by the third date when I introduced myself in full name. And there aren’t any fashion designers that don’t know the name Agreste.  But she never ask anything. Kinda act as same as before”

“That’s a good thing.”

Plagg scoffed. “Maybe the Agreste name just make her more delight to keep being your date.”

“Don’t be so negative, Plagg!” Tikki said. She smiled reassuringly at him. “Just trust your instinct, Adrien. If you love her so much, she surely has to be a wonderful woman.”

“And then being used, and then being heart broken, and then live alone forever like a cat grandpa you are.”

“That…” Tikki pointed her pen at her not-so-boyfriend. “…is the negative thinking that I’ve told you to quit it already.”

“Marinette isn’t like that.”

After hearing what Plagg said, Adrien felt the urge to defend his friend (–cough– future girlfriend –cough–). The frown marred his face when he said.

“Marinette is beautiful and sweet and caring. Surely she is so unbelievable clumsy from time to time but it’s very cute and I like to catch her before she fall anyway. She isn’t like any other girls I’ve met before. She doesn’t like overly fancy restaurants or expensive gifts. She even invited me to paint ball date with her.”

“Wait. You said Marinette?”

That wasn’t the reaction he thought he would receive at all. Adrien lifted his brows, answered in a not-so-sure voice. “Yes?”

“As in Marinette Dupain-Cheng?”

“Yes. That’s her.” All the questions started to make him nervous. “Is there anything I should know?”

“Oh. No. No. No. Please don’t get the wrong idea. It just I’ve known this girl for a really long time. I’m actually her teacher.”

“A small world indeed.”

Tikki ignored Plagg and smiled brightly. She joyfully said. “Marinette is a talented young girl. It was her dream since college that she wanted to be a fashion designer and she worked very hard to earn her position right now.”

The fashion design teacher sighed wistfully. “It’s so refreshing to see the student as passionate as her being so successful in such a young age.”

“Successful?” Adrien felt like he had been thrown out of the loop. “What do you mean successful? I thought she just started her career not long ago.”

“That’ true.” Tikki said. She chose the word carefully because she had the feeling that Adrien might not like things she was going to say. “Marinette has just graduated from this university two years ago.”

“But…?”

“But she graduated with the job offered from Gabriel Agreste himself.”

Adrien stood up abruptly from his chair. Eyes widening and jaw dropping from the shocking information he just received. Tikki felt a little sorry for him when she said the last sentence.

“Adrien…Marinette is working for your father.”


	3. Chapter 3

 

The fourth cat memes in same morning made Marinette groaned out loud. Adrien was an adorable nerd despite his look of a model. Her father would like him so much when he heard Adrien’s cat pun.

And WHY DID SHE THINK ABOUT HER FATHER AGAIN!?

It was too fast to introduce Adrien to her family! They hadn’t even discussed their relationship status, yet!

But Adrien was so great…no! that word wasn’t enough to describe him. He was wonderful, so considerate, so passionate in his career. He had a stable job and their schedule worked well together. He didn’t really care if she had any make up on her face or not. He liked to run around on the street and tried something new and surprised her with a date and little gifts that didn’t expensive but looked so much like her style.

He was so perfect and she loved him.

“Alya” Marinette cried. “I think I’m gonna die.”

“From what?” Alya laughed. Her friend could be so dramatic sometimes it was ridiculous. She had been like this since college and never grown out of it.

“I fall in love with my boss’s son.”

“Your boss loves you.” Alya pointed out. If Gabriel Agreste didn’t like Marinette, there is no way in hell that they were sitting in the café, enjoying their coffee right now.

“But they hate each other.”

It wasn’t a secret in fashion world that the owner of Agreste fashion line had a problem with his son. A lot of new employees had never seen Adrien Agreste before including Marinette herself. It was like an unspoken rule not to say anything about him in front of Gabriel Agreste.

“Err. Who hates who again?”

Sometimes Marinette forgot that Alya wasn’t into fashion despite her work for press.

“My boss and his son!” Marinette practically shouted in her friend’s ears. “And stop texting with Nino! I’m dying and need your help right now.”

Alya rolled her eyes. “Relax, girl. Your boyfriend loves you. Your boss loves you. I don’t see any problem at all.”

“The problem is mister not-my-boyfriend-yet doesn’t know that I’m working for his father.”

That sentence made Alya looked up from her phone.

“Ohhh”

“Yeah, Ohhh is right.” Marinette sighed. “He’s going to hate me so much that he won’t talk to me ever again. We will never have three children, a house with big garden and two cute hamsters. Then my boss will be so piss at me and fire me and I will end up jobless and die on the street alone!”

“Take a deep breath, girl” Alya patted her back with pity. “Firstly, he isn’t going to hate you. It’s not like he or you have control over this situation and if he truly like you, he has to accept all of you. It’s your dream to work with Gabriel Agreste and if he doesn’t like you because of it, then screw him.”

Marinette opened her mouth like she was trying to say something, but Alya continued without missing a beat.

“Secondly, your boss isn’t going to hate you. He loves your design! And you said it yourself that he doesn’t care about fame, age or gender. He only accepts who he thinks as the best.”

“That’s true, but…”

“And lastly, you are Marinette Dupain-Cheng ‘The aspiring designer, future of the world of fashion’. If you can get that title from the trashing tabloid, I’m sure you can do everything. Just don’t freak out too much.”

“Yep. I can do everything.” Alya’s words made her felt slightly better and more confident. But when Adrien smiled flew in her head. Marinette felt like her surge of confident just dropped down again.

“But I’m also Marinette, an awkward mess that can’t even go on a date without tripping myself over the grass. What if he just realized that I’m not worth his time anymore and decided to ditch me in our next date.” Marinette dropped her head on the table.

“Girl” Alya sighed again. “You’re worse than that time in lycée.”

“I know.” Her blue eyes looked at her best friend. The fashion designer said softly. “I really love him. I never really think much about future when I’m with someone, you know? But Adrien is different, I imagine all the future I could have with him and I really want it to be real.”

“And it’s going to be real. Stop doubting yourself.”

“Thanks Alya.” Marinette smiled at her friend. “That’s exactly what I need to hear.”

After a minute of drinking their own coffee and calming Marinette down, Alya started asking again.

“What are you going to do next anyway?”

Marinette shrugged. “I’m going to tell him the truth. Relationship never works well with secrets.”

“That’s actually a good idea.” Alya said approvingly. “And then?”

“And then, we will discuss our relationship. I think it’s time to decide whether he want to make it official or not have any relationship at all.”

If she told him the truth and he didn’t want to date her anymore. Marinette would accept his choice and gladly stay being his friend. If he didn’t want to talk to her anymore, she would walk away without any complaint, too.

“Well, don’t be so negative. You got it girl. Just don’t think about it too much and freak out again, okay?”

“Okay, Alya. Thank you very much.”

“Beside” Alya winked at her. “I and Nino ready to beat him up for you if he decided to be a jerk.”

Marinette laughed at that. She really doubted that Adrien would be a jerk, but she appreciated her friend’s offer.

“Thanks again Alya. You are the best.”

“Of course, girl. No one knows you like I do, even that Adrien boy.”

“Yeah” Marinette laughed even though she really wanted it to not be true. She wished Adrien and she could be more open to each other. But everything took time, relationship wasn’t the exception.

Her phone on the table buzzed like when it had new message. Marinette opened it. It was sent from Adrien. The thought of him and the conversation before made her felt nervous again.

**A : Are you free? tmr?**

Marinette felt like her hand had just turned into the ice when she replied his message.

**M : Yep. Want some pizza?**

She held her breath until her phone buzzed again. Marinette quickly opened the message.

**A : Sound great! See you at John’s pizza place at six?**

**M : See ya! XX**

She clicked the send button before she thought. Marinette screamed in her head. She sent him the kissing sign. Was it too forward when they practically had just hit the rock in the relationship? (not that they were in relationship anyway)

Her phone buzzed again.

**A : XX**

And that made Marinette blushed. Her heart skipped a beat in a good way. He returned her kissing sign.

Maybe it wasn’t a big rock after all.


	4. Chapter 4

Adrien got out of his car so fast like his life depended on it. He looked at his watch. It told him that he had already been late for half an hour and he didn’t plan on letting her wait any longer.

When he ran in the pizza place, he saw his date immediately. Marinette sat alone at the table near window. Her round blue eyes stared out of it, enjoying the view of Paris’s street at night.

“Marinette, I’m really sorry. The class ran late than usual.”

“It’s okay. I’ve just arrived anyway.” Marinette smiled reassuringly at him. “Let’s order something.”

After went through all the menu, they decided to order pepperoni pizza with chicken wings. The waiter brought their drink and let they sat in silence. A sudden tension that had never been between them before made the couple smiled awkwardly at each other.

Is it because he has known already!?

Marinette freaked out. This wasn’t exactly what she wanted him to know the truth at all.

“My coworker at the university sent her greeting to you.”

That wasn’t the conversation she expected but Marinette didn’t complain. The change in conversation made her sighed in relief.

“Is that coworker of your one of my friends? I graduated from there anyway.”

“Actually, she said she was your teacher.”

Her eyes widened when she realized who he talked about.

“You mean TIKKI!” Marinette burst with excitement. “Oh! I really miss her. She helped me a lot when I studied in university. She isn’t just my teacher, more like my friend and mental stabilizer when I freaked out.”

“Yeah. She talks about that, too” Adrien chuckled. “Something about you were so nervous to the point that you almost strangled your model partner with measuring tape.”

Marinette squeaked. Her face flushed with embarrassment. “That was my first year in university and it was pure accident!”

“Whatever floats your boat, princess.”

Her cheek flushed bright pink with the nickname, but she still pouted cutely.

“It’s true. I bet you were nervous when you taught for the first time, too.”

“I actually tripped and crashed into teacher’s desk in front of the whole class.” Adrien admitted without shame. “My students are still teasing me about that day whenever they want me to lower their homework.”

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Look like it doesn’t work.”

“When you’re a teacher, you just have to learn how to outsmart your student.” Adrien smiled cheekily at her. His eyes twinkled with amusement.

“That’s why I never think about being a teacher. I’m a softy with children. Just use puppy eyes and BAM! I’ve already been defeated.”

“Don’t worry. We only need one stern parent in a family.”

Adrien didn’t quite catch what he said until he saw Marinette’s face blushed like a tomato. That was when he realized how suggestive his word sounded. His face suddenly blushed in the color that matched with his date.

The physic teacher tried to change subject but nothing came out. Thankfully, the waiter arrived with their food before further awkwardness.

After his thoughtless speech, they ate quietly in comfortable silence. They decided to split the bill because Marinette made herself clear since their second date that she refused to let him paid for their date.

“Where do you park your car?” Adrien asked when he pushed the door open for her. The only thing that kept them from darkness is the lamppost in front of pizza place. This street wasn’t secluded but not many cars passed by.

“Oh, I didn’t drive here. My friend dropped me off.”

Adrien paused. He has a puzzled look on his face. “And will your friend take you home?”

Marinette shrugged. “I think she is meeting her boyfriend. I can walk home myself. My apartment isn’t that far from here.”

“No.” Adrien said sternly. “I won’t let you walk home alone at night.”

He grabbed her hand and pulled her to his car that parked near the restaurant. Marinette didn’t protest much to his delight. If she walked home alone, he would be worried sick to the point that he couldn’t stay still until he got a call from her.

They got in the car. Adrien’s phone rang just before he started the engine. The screen showed that there was a message from his coworker said that the assistant dean needed the document immediately.

Adrien sighed. Couldn’t these people learn to respect other people’s free time?

“Sorry, Marinette. Can we stop at my apartment before go back to your place? The assistant dean needs the document that I keep in my place.”

“Oh” Marinette breathed out. “Adrien, I really can go home myself. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“There is no way I will let you walk home at night by yourself.” Adrien said in sharp voice, didn’t let her say anything else. “Beside I have something to talk to you. It’s quite important.”

Something inside Marinette told her that she knew what he was going to talk to her.

They didn’t say anything to each other until they reached his apartment door. Marinette leaned against the wall, waiting for Adrien to finish taking photo of the document and sending it to his coworker.

Her heart beat so fast like it could explode. She wasn’t ready for this conversation at all. Everything she planned with Alya disappeared from her head like it had never been there before.

She pulled the strap of her bag nervously. The sound of a door shutting made her glanced nervously at her date who she secretly hoped that he would still want to be her boyfriend after tonight.

“I know you’re working for my father.”

It felt like thunder had just struck right through her heart. Marinette opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out at all. She did the only thing that came into her mind.

She stood there, head hanging low, waiting for the blame to come.

It broke Adrien’s heart to see how devastating she looked.

“Marinette, look at me.” Adrien said softly. His hands cupped Marinette’s face, thumbs trailed around in soothing motion. He lifted her head up until blue eyes met his green ones.

“I’m not mad at you.”

“You should.”

“No. You didn’t lie to me and I didn’t completely honest with you either. If there is anyone’s false, it would be both of us, not you or me alone.”

It was like a rock in her heart had been lifted out of her chest. She felt so warm and it wasn’t just from Adrien’s body temperature. Her hand reached out to grab the front of his shirt and pulled until their front touched each other.

Her head laid on Adrien’s shoulder. Hot breath left a tingling feeling at his neck that made his heart skipped a beat. The faint smell of flower perfume from her is the reason why his brain couldn’t function at all. Adrien couldn’t think what to do next.

_Screw your brain! Just do whatever you felt right for once._

A part of him screamed so hard and before he processed his mind, Adrien found himself hugged Marinette so hard like she was his last anchor.

“I love you.” He whispered in her ear. “I really love you, Marinette. And I won’t let anything in the world destroy what we have, even if that thing is my own issue with my father.”

He felt her hands on his back. Marinette hugged him back before she said. “I love you, too. Really, seriously and completely love you with all my heart.”

Her silly confession made Adrien smiled so much his cheek started to hurt. They just stood at a door, hugged each other like an idiot until Adrien heard his neighbor shout.

“Okay! We get that you love each other. Can you please continue your love declaration in your own room!?”

The outburst made them separated from their hug with flushing red face. They looked at each other before laughed so hard until Marinette felt a tear in her eyes. The romantic atmosphere completely disappeared with the tension from their secrets. She looked at him and smiled brightly. The bubbles in her chest multiplied when she saw his smile.

Marinette didn’t fall in love very often. Half of her life had been dedicated to trying to be a fashion designer, so her free time was scarce. She didn’t have much experience about this love thing.

But there was one thing she was sure and it was the fact that she was completely in love with this man.

“I really don’t want to end this date, yet” Adrien rubbed the back of his head nervously. “How about movie night and cuddling? You can choose the movie?”

Marinette really liked the sound of it.


	5. Chapter 5

The smell of coffee and egg greeted Adrien when he opened his eyes. Green eyes darted around his room and found out that he was sleeping on his sofa. The space next to him empty but it had higher temperature like there was someone sitting there before.

The memory from last night flashed back into his mind. The last thing he could remember was he and Marinette cuddled together on sofa. One of his arms rested on the backrest and another put around her waist. Marinette snuggled close to he, her face nuzzled his shoulder as they watched ‘The Avenger 2’.

Adrien wasn’t sure when did he fall asleep. But he was sure that this was one of the best nights in his life.

After he processed his thought, he stood up and walked in to the kitchen where the delicious smell came from. Stood there in his apron is Marinette. Her hair had been tied in a messy bun. She looked like she just got up from bed. Adrien stopped himself at the entrance and appreciated the view for a minute.

From what he saw, Marinette was cooking egg and bacon while heating up the bread. She dried the oil out of the bacon, left eggs in the pan and started to make coffee. That was when Adrien thought it would be good to help her out a bit.

“Need a hand?”

“Can you check if the bread is warm yet?”

Marinette didn’t look at him but there was a smile on her face. They fell in to comfortable silence when they prepared their breakfast. Fifteen minutes later, they sat at a small table in kitchen, ready to eat their meal.

“You wake up early.” He pointed out.

“Yeah. I have to go back to my apartment before go to work.”

Adrien stared at her and he realized that she still wore her old clothes. They slept at some point of the movie while still cuddling with each other. He was a little disappointed that he didn’t remember much of it. He might sleep before her.

While they were eating breakfast, Adrien was listening to Marinette babbling about her work. She loved fashion so much that he quite understood why his father liked her. They finished breakfast in half an hour and after fifteen minutes of convincing Marinette that he would take care of used dish himself, Marinette was ready to go to her place.

“You can use my car. I walk to university anyway.”

“But it’s your car! You can’t just let me borrow it.”

“Sure I can.” He winked at her. “You aren’t any stranger and you will return it to me, won’t you?”

“Of course! But…”

“No but.” He threw his car key at her. Marinette had no choice but to catch it and promised him in a soft voice.

“I will take a good care of it.”

Adrien waved his hand in dismissive manner. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve used it since university. It has more scratch than I can count in one hand.”

The physic teacher walked with her to the door. He waited for Marinette to walk out, but in that second, Marinette turned around. She tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek. Her face blushed bright pink made his face matched her color.

Then he did something he never thought he would be bold enough to do.

Adrien pulled her close and kissed her full on the lips. It wasn’t French kiss with tongue or anything sexy at all. But it was still a kiss that last a minute and filled with emotion, everything he didn’t know how to describe in word.

It was also their first kiss.

The warm feeling from her lips spread to his chest. Adrien felt like his head was on the cloud. He couldn’t think, couldn’t tell his emotion right now. His hands found their way around her waist and squeeze her tight against him. Marinette ran her fingers through his messy bed hair, lingering until they parted from each other.

“Wow…” Marinette said breathlessly.

Adrien breathed in. He said before he was too nervous to say it again.  “Will you be my girlfriend and we will cuddle together and do all good stuff?”

 There was a pause that made Adrien’s heart sank.

“Yes!” Marinette chirped out loud. “Yes, of course! I will be your girlfriend and we will cuddle together and do all good stuff!”

His cheeks turned adorable bright red that Marinette couldn’t resist to kiss his cheek for the last time before she disappeared behind the door. She waved at him and said. “Bye, Adrien. See you in the afternoon”

Adrien stood there for a moment. He smiled like an idiot, hand clapping where she planted a kiss. His bright green eyes stared at the door even though his girlfriend was long gone.

"I won't wash my face ever again." He sighed wistfully, saying to no one in particular.

That was when he realized that he had class to teach in half an hour.

Oh crap! He was going be late!

______________________________________________________________

"...And then we kissed!" Marinette squeaked out loud. "It's so wonderful, Alya. I hardly believe that he doesn't care at all about my work with his father. Oh my god! We are in relationship. Oh my god. I can die in peace right now."

"If you die, you couldn't date that Adrien guy. You know that, right?" Alya laughed through the phone. "I need to meet him ASAP. Need to make sure that he is the right guy for you."

"He is." Marinette said in firm voice. "But you will meet him soon. You and Adrien are both important to me. You two will have to meet each other at some point anyway."

"Can't wait for that day to come." Marinette could almost see Alya winked at her through her voice. "But I'm really happy for you, girl. You deserve the best."

"He is more than the best." Marinette affirmed before she looked at the clock on her work table. "Oh! Alya. I have to go now. His car is still with me and I want to return it at lunch so he doesn't have to walk home."

"You're going to his work place?" Alya laughed so hard it was like she was going to fall off her chair. "You sly girl! Gotta tell the world that a hot physic teacher is off the market."

Her face blushed with embarrassment. "It's not like that! Besides, I want to meet my teacher too. I plan on going back there someday anyway."

"Yeah. Yeah. Go on a lunch date already. I have a column that due this afternoon, so I better start working on it right now."

"Okay. Bye Alya."

"Bye."

After ending the call, Marinette grabbed her Agreste design bag and walked out of her office. Dianne, her secretary called before she reached the elevator.

"You're going home already?" Dianne asked. Normally, her boss would stay in the office until they closed the office even though she had half day off. She said that she didn't have any other thing than designing to do anyway.

"Yes, Dianne. I'm going to get lunch with my boyfriend."

"Oh, miss" Dianne clapped her hand over her mouth. "Congratulation!"

Marinette was a kind woman and boss. She told Dianne since they had started working together that Dianne could call her by her name because they were in the same age. The secretary couldn't ask for better boss.

Marinette laughed nervously. "We've just made it official yesterday. Not that we're going to marry or anything."

"Still…congratulation! You deserve someone good in your life."

"Thank you. Have a good day, Dianne."

"Have a good date!"

Marinette drove to the university that Adrien was working at. She remembered it clearly even though she graduated from there two years ago. The nostalgic feeling ran through her body when she got out of the car.

There was a tree that she used to sit under and draw all the design in her sketch book. The bench that once was her and Alya’s meeting point. The music room where she listened to Nino mixed new music with her help.

She wondered if she had ever met Adrien before. They graduated in the same year after all, but she would never know anyway.

Marinette walked passed the buildings until she found student’s affair building. Most of the teachers that associated with students stationed in it, including Tikki, who mostly took care of the students that entered design competition.

She asked around a bit until she found the right room. Marinette opened the door, smiling brightly to the red hair woman in the room.

“Tikki!”

The designing teacher looked up from her paper. “Oh…Marinette! I miss you so much.”

They ran to each other and hugged tight, screaming and babbling about how good to see each other again. The sight of two girls made Plagg mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like ‘girls and all their craps’.

“How have you been, Marinette? Still working for M.Agreste?”

“Life is hectic as usual but I’m doing great.” Marinette smiled. Tikki always worried about her students even though she had graduated for two years already. “And how about you? Any interesting student?”

“No one is as talent or passionate as you.”  Tikki sighed. Marinette might clumsy and freaked out more often than not, but she was very creative with her work. It was hard to find such a beautiful diamond among other students.

Marinette was that diamond.

“Sometimes I missed working with you and taking you to enter the competition. We had such a great time together.”

“Yeah. I missed it, too.” Marinette parted from Tikki’s hug and spotted a man at the next table. She waved her hand, though she knew that this man wouldn’t wave back. “Hello, Plagg”

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have a stern boss to please?”

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Firstly, you can at least greet me properly before lash out at me. Secondly, my boss gives me enough free time because my line of work needs clear mind and lot of inspiration. And lastly, I have afternoon off and I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

Plagg just shrugged with her sarcasm.

Plagg taught in faculty of science, but he was with Tikki most of his free time, so Marinette had met him more than enough to get use to the teacher.  She knew that he had quite a tough attitude but behind that foul mouth, he was a big softy.

“If you’re looking for Adrien, he has class at the faculty until one and he won’t likely to finish early if you don’t go to see him.”

“Well, I guess I’ll be going then. Bye, Plagg. Bye, Tikki. See you soon.”

“Marinette.” Tikki said before she walked out of the room. “Please take care of Adrien. He is a good but lonely boy. I’m sure that you’ll be good for him and he’ll be good for you.”

“I hope so too.” Marinette waved at Tikki and Plagg for the last time before she went to faculty of science.

Her heart beat faster when she thought about her boyfriend that she would meet in few minutes. It made Marinette smiled brightly.

She couldn’t wait to meet him again.


	6. Chapter 6

Marinette stood in front of the door. Behind this door was Adrien’s classroom. She wanted to open it but she was afraid that it would be too demanding to invite him to lunch before his class was over.

“Excuse me.” There was a voice behind her. Marinette startled. She smile sheepishly before walked out of the way.

That boy, who she thought was a student, opened the door and shouted. “M.Agreste! Your girlfriend is already here. Why don’t you let us out so you can go on a date with her.”

The stares from all the students in the class made Marinette squeaked in embarrassment. She waved shyly at Adrien when he turned to look outside the classroom. His face suddenly blushed when he saw his girlfriend stood there, looking so cute in her simple but elegant white knee-length dress.

“M-Marinette!”

“Hello!” Marinette squeaked again. “I come here because I want to return your car?”

Marinette wasn’t even sure why she spoke as if she was asking a question.

“My car…oh yeah.” Adrien felt like his brain was still processing her word. He stared at her, smiling like an idiot and being in front of the whole class didn’t help calming his nerve at all. “You can sit in the room if you want. The class will finish soon.”

There were multiple groans from the students but Adrien pretended to not hear them. He continued his lesson while she was sitting on the empty seat in the front role.

 “…and don’t forget to read chapter five and chapter six before the next class.”

The students started to walk out of the class. Some of them glanced at her curiously but didn’t say anything. Marinette felt a little thankful that there were more men than women in the class. Hopefully they weren’t into fashion magazine. She didn’t think she can handle anymore drama.

She could imagine the headline news already. ‘The upcoming designer of Agreste fashion line in relationship with the ex-model heir of Agreste’

Yep. That would definitely be the drama of the month.

She waited until the last student walked out before approached Adrien.

“I’m sorry. I want to wait outside but one of the students must see me and then…”

“Relax Marinette.” Adrien smiled softly at her. “No harm done at all. Well…maybe a little, now they’re having a new way to blackmail me to lower their homework.”

Marinette laughed at his exaggerated sigh then they walked to his car together.

“So, have anywhere in mind?”

“Actually…” Marinette said nervously. “Is it okay if I take you to my parent’s bakery? They want to meet you as soon as we make it official.”

IS THAT A TRICK QUESTION!?

If he said yes, would it seem like he was too eager? But if he said no, would it sound like he didn’t serious about her?

Adrien wasn’t quite sure that he was ready to meet her parent yet. But he was sure he wanted a relationship with her. He even dreamed about all the future he could have with her.

If he was so sure that he wanted to marry her, it would be okay, right?

“Okay.” He said jokingly. “But you have to protect me if your father hit me with the rolling pin.”

“Don’t worry, princess.” Marinette winked, using the same nickname he called her before. “Your knight in shining dress will protect you from the wrath of cooker.”

Adrien decided to let Marinette drove since she was the one who knew the way to bakery. The view outside the window looked familiar to him even though he couldn’t place it yet.

That was until they parked his car outside Tom-Sabine boulangerie.

Before Adrien said anything, Marinette grabbed his hand and ran to the bakery.

“Papa! Maman!” Marinette shouted, startled a few customers in the shop. She smiled apologetically at them and the worker on cashier.

“Do you know where they are?”

“In the back, Mlle. Marinette.” The cashier boy answered. Marinette shouted a word ‘thank you’ before dragged him to the back of the bakery. The sight of the bakery’s owners made Marinette let go of his hand and ran to them.

“Maman.” Marinette hugged her mother. The Chinese women hugged her daughter back before Tom hugged them both.

“Papa! I miss you two so much.”

“And we had dinner together five days ago.”

“That’s too long for my liking.”

Sabine laughed a little. “Says the girl that sometimes forgets to come home because she is too busy doing her work.”

Marinette pouted. “I come here every week.”

Instead of replying her, Tom glanced at Adrien before he said. “Hello, Adrien. Good to see you again. How are you?”

Adrien suddenly felt the burning stare from Marinette. He rubbed the back of his head nervously before answered. “I’m fine, and you?”

“I’m good, boy. The bakery is busy as usual.”

“Considering the popularity of your bakery, I’m not surprise at all.”

“Wait. Wait. Wait.” Marinette glared between her father and Adrien. She motioned her hand frantically in the air. “YOU KNOW EACH OTHER!?”

“I’m kinda a regular customer?” Adrien offered.

“He played Mecha Strike III with me when you’re not around?” Tom said after he saw a displease look on his daughter.

“And he always helps trying new recipe for me. What a sweet boy.” Sabine said lastly.

“Don’t you think it’s something you should tell your daughter!?” Marinette pointed at Adrien’s face, made him stepped back nervously.

“We told you!” Tom tried to explain. “Remember the guy we told you? The one we tried to invite to family dinner but you said you didn’t want an outsider invading our family time.”

“I thought you were going to set me up!”

“Well…” Sabine said calmly. She was the only one in the room that looked untroubled right now. “You weren’t wrong back then. Adrien is a young and good-looking single boy.”

Marinette groaned into her hand. “This is so embarrassing.”

“I think it’s kind of funny.” Adrien said but he decided to shut his mouth again when he received Marinette’s glare.

“How about having lunch first?” Sabine said since she was the sensible one in this situation. “I’m sure Adrien doesn’t want to be late for his afternoon class.”

“Thanks, Sabine. Your food is the best.”

Sabine giggled like a teenage girl from the compliment before disappeared to the kitchen. Tom followed behind her and called Marinette to help her mother prepared the meal. His girlfriend shot him a dirty look before walked to the kitchen.

Well. That worked better than he thought.

At least he hoped so.

After ate lunch and played Mecha Strike III for three matches, Adrien convinced Tom and Sabine to let him go back to work despite the fact that he enjoyed his time at their place, too. He offered to take Marinette back to her apartment but she refused, saying that she would spend her time with her parent today.

The fashion designer walked with him to the front, they didn’t say anything until they were sure that her parent couldn’t hear their conversation.

“Are you still mad at me?” 

Marinette crossed her arm. She sighed when she said. “I’m not mad at you, just a little…unprepared with all of this.”

Adrien put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. He said in a joking voice. “Don’t you find it’s funny that we practically dance around each other for years.”

He lifted his fingers to indicate the number of situation he could think of.

“First, we studied at the same university in the same year. Our teachers are close to another. You’re working for my father. I’m almost adopted by your parent. The fact that we haven’t met each other before is against the rule of universe.”

“Maybe it’s just pure luck.” She laughed with his exaggeration.

“Well. We met each other anyway.” He stopped walking when he reached his car. Adrien turned back to kiss her softly on the lips which she eagerly kissed back. The chaste kiss somehow turned in to the deep passionate kiss that took their breath away.

Marinette parted from him first. Her face blushed like a tomato when she realized that they were on a street in front of her parent’s bakery, where all the customers and passersby could see their display of affection.

“Y-You should hurry back to university.” She stammered a little. It was one of her habits that he found endearing.

“I will call you tonight.”

She smiled at him before he got in the car. “Can’t wait for it.”


	7. Chapter 7

Adrien hummed the song as he walked around teacher’s room. He glowed with happiness as he packed his thing, readying to go back home.

“Someone looks happy today.” Tikki commented. She smiled at the sight of her sunshine boy that was radiant like the actual sun.

“Tell me about it.” Plagg mumbled under his breath.

“It’s our one month anniversary.” Adrien said. He sighed dreamingly when he thought about his girlfriend. “We will have a dinner together at that place near Toracardo. The Eiffel tower view at night will be so perfect.”

“Oh! That place, quite an expensive one, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. But our first date at the high-class restaurant was a complete disaster. I hope that I can make her a good new one.”

Tikki clapped her hands together. “That’s so romantic. I wish you luck, Adrien.”

“Thanks Tikki.”

“Whatever, just don’t mess up too much. It’s annoying when you moped around for a week just because a date didn’t go as your plan.” Plagg said in repulsive tone. But Tikki and Adrien looked at each other and secretly smiled.

“Thank you too, Plagg”

“Just go already!”

Adrien left university three o’clock in the afternoon. He still had two hours to prepare himself before picked Marinette up from her place. He was glad that he still kept the black suit he wore in his graduate party. It was one of the best suits he had.

Adrien hesitated, unsure whether to style his hair neatly like the time when he still modeling or just let it all messy like usual. After spent half an hour in front of the mirror, he decided to just be himself and went with the usual hair style.

“You can do this.” He said, trying to reassure himself before drove to her place.

He waited for her in front of the apartment building. Marinette replied his text message with emoticon and told him to wait five more minute for her last minute make up. He scrolled through his e-mail when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

And when he saw Marinette, Adrien forgot to breath.

She wore a long carmine red dress that had a long slit in the side. It showed her long and slim leg that made Adrien felt like all the blood in his body ran to his face. Her black-blue hair was done in a stylish bun that he was sure it took an hour to do. There were small flowers in her hair that made her she looked less sexy and sweeter, even though Adrien felt like it didn’t help much when he saw her leg again.

“You’re beautiful.” Adrien breathed out after he finally found his voice again. Marinette giggled lightly when she saw his awestruck face.

“So…to the restaurant?” She smiled lightly at him and Adrien couldn’t help but smiled back at her.

“As your command, princess.”

The restaurant was so elegant it made Adrien thought about the time when he still followed his father around. It didn’t crowd with people and secluded enough to talk without worrying that someone would hear their conversation.

Marinette looked comfortable it almost liked she used to this place. Adrien didn’t really surprise. In her line of career, they needed connection as much as they could get and meeting in the restaurant was one way of them.

“I would like the special menu for today and lemonade.” She ordered in her sweet voice before turned to ask him. “And you, Adrien?”

“Err.” Adrien blinked. He didn’t took a look at menu because most of the time he was busily eyeing Marinette and her bare shoulders. “I would like the same as her.”

“Two special dished and two lemonades.” The waiter repeated their orders. “The food will be served in fifteen minute. Please enjoy your meal.”

The waiter walked back to the kitchen, left only two of them at the table. Marinette looked at him with concerning eyes. She touched his hand before asked if he was feeling okay.

“I’m fine. Just thinking about something.”

“About what?”

She moved her hand again. The motion made her shoulders caught dim light. The look was so appealing to the point that made Adrien suddenly felt uncomfortable with his mind.

He sighed and decided to tell the truth. Marinette looked genuinely concern. He hated to make her felt like that when the real reason was just because he couldn’t control his hormone.

“You just look so beautiful, like absolutely the most beautiful girl I have seen in my life. I can’t stop looking at you.”

Her face flushed pink but Marinette still kept her hand above his hand, so it might be a good sign. Another hand tucked her hair behind her ear, the habit she did when she was nervous, when she replied.

“I’m sure you’ve worked with lot of models more beautiful than me.”

“No.” He said seriously. Sometimes Adrien felt like Marinette had a big problem with her self-consciousness. His hand scooped hers in to emphasize his point.

“You are the most beautiful girl for me, inside out. You are kind and brave. You’re funny and you appreciate my jokes even though you pretend not to like them. You care about me more than yourself, something no one has ever done before. And that make you the most beautiful girl in the world.”

“Oh, Adrien.” Marinette cooed lightly. She smiled at him. “Of course, I care about you, kitty.”

“Kitty? Really, Marinette?”

Marinette shrugged. “You looked like a stray kitten that what a warm place to stay. If you’re gonna called me princess, then I have my choice for your pet name, too”

“I won’t stop calling you a princess.”

“Okay then, kitty.”

Before their banter continued, the waiter was back with their food. It was fish with some green sauce that Adrien didn’t know but the look on Marinette face when she tasted it helped reassure him that it was quite good.

The restaurant was good. The atmosphere was romantic. The food was delicious. Everything went smoothly so far Adrien felt like his bad luck couldn’t ruin this date for once.

Maybe he was thinking too soon.

“Mlle. Dupain-Cheng.” The familiar voice called from behind him made Adrien stopped his fork. He turned to see the person and regretted it immediately.

“M. Durand?” Marinette greeted the middle-age man. “Good evening, monsieur.”

“Good evening. Have a date here?” M. Durand said in teasing voice before he saw her date for tonight.

And that was what Adrien called a disaster.

“Adrien, my boy!”

M. Durand hugged him. Adrien had to stand up, hugging back awkwardly to his father long-time business partner, who he hadn’t met for years after he stopped talking to his father.

“Good to see you too, M. Durand.”

“I haven’t seen you for like three years! I told Gabriel so many times to lower your work a little. A young mans like you need their break with a beautiful woman sometimes, right?” M. Durand winked at Marinette.

“Actually, it was six years and yes, I really need more time with my girlfriend.”

Adrien smiled, neither agreed nor corrected the older man misunderstanding.

It wasn’t a first time his father’s business partner talked to him like this when they accidentally met each other on the street or restaurant. His father didn’t care much if the employee gossiped behind his back, but he won’t let any of his partners knew anything that would destroy the perfect picture of ‘Agreste’.

“We haven’t met that long?” M. Durand said. “Time flies too fast for an old man like me.”

“You’re hardly old.” He kept the conversation so it didn’t seem rude before said again. “If you don’t mind, I would like to…”

“You two can come and sit at my table.” M. Durand cut him off before Adrien could say anything. “I would love to catch up with you, my boy. And Mlle. Dupain-Cheng knows me quite well. I’m sure she will be okay with it.”

Both Adrien and M. Durand looked at Marinette at the same time and it made her fidgeted in her seat.

“I…” She bit her lip, not sure how to say no without looking like she was insulting one of her boss. Her uncomfortable face made Adrien decided to answer before she did.

“Some catch up would be good.” Adrien smiled brightly at M. Durand. It was a model smile Marinette said she hated it so much because when he use this smile, it means that he wasn’t happy. “Can you tell the waiter to move our food?”

M. Durand gestured to call the waiter. “Move their food to my usual table and add the billed to my table, too.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Nonsense!” M. Durand walked them to his table while he was saying. “I invited you two, at least let me pay the bill as my apology for ruining your date.”

You knew that and you did it anyway.

Adrien really wanted to point out but he didn’t want to sound rude to a family’s old friend.

Marinette who walked beside him grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Her blue eyes looked at him like she was trying to say sorry.

“It’s okay. I know you don’t want to say no to your boss. If it was me, I would feel the same, too.”

“I still feel bad anyway.” She said grimly. “So, no high class restaurant anymore?”

“Absolutely nothing high class anymore.”

At least they could agree in that idea.

“Dupain-Cheng? What are you doing here?”

The voice of another rival designer in the company made Marinette want to sight. What day was it? A company meeting day or something she wasn’t aware of?

“Are you also eating here, Lambert?”

Marinette turned to face the fellow designer, but what she didn’t prepare for was that table was also the same table M. Durand walked to.

And that wasn’t even the worst point.

She felt Adrien suddenly froze beside her. Marinette could only squeeze his hand more tightly when they looked at the man at the head of table.

Sat calmly on his seat like the rest of the world wasn’t matter to him was Gabriel Agreste.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for all the compliments and encouragements. I'm really appreciate them.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> And thanks for reading, review and comment. :)


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